Apparatus foe handling treated



m7 ae aw w .p mzm 2 Sheets-Sheet -l L. CHERRY ET AL APPARATUS FORHANDLING TREATED ARTICLES Orig inal File-d May 10, 1929 Jan; 14, 1936.

f? x W Jan. 14, 1936.

G. L. CHERRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TREATED ARTICLES OriginalFiled May 10, 192 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Reissued Jan. 14, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE George Lafayette Cherry,

Western Sprint! 11 and Leslie Fawcett Lamplough, Baltimore. MIL,assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, YorkOriginal No.

N. Y., a corporation of New 1,885,080, dated October 25, 1932, SerialNo. 362,108, May 10, 1929.

Application for reissue September 17, 1934, Serial No.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling treated articles, andmore particularly to a pneumatic seal and control means therefordesigned for use with strand treating apparatus.

In the continuous vulcanization of rubber covered wire, the wire, havinga freshly applied covering of vulcanizable rubber compound thereon, ispassed through a chamber containing steam at high pressure, whichvulcanlzes the covering. From the steam chamber the wire passes throughsuitable cooling and drying steps, after which it is ready to be woundupon take-up reels in the usual manner. In order to prevent leakage ofsteam at the point where the covered wire emerges from the steamchamber, it is necessary to provide a seal which shall permit the wireto pass therethrough and which at the same time shall be substantiallysteam-tight.

An object of this invention is-to provide means for effectively sealinga chamber or other container for fluid under pressure while permittingthe passage of an article therethrough, which is controlled inaccordance with the operating conditlons.

In the preferred form of the invention, a plu- 'rality of nestedflexible disks are disposed at the outlet end of the steam chamber andare provided with apertures to permit passage of the strandtherethrough, and a yielding member engages the outer disk to limit itsoutward movement, the

' yielding member being held in position by pneumatic pressure which isadjustably controlled by a suitable control system.

The invention will be more fully understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the appended drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view 01' an apparatus embodying theinvention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of seal,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the means for controlling thepneumatic pressure exerted on the seal,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the sealing disks in assembledrelation,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of one of the sealing disks, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another of the sealing disks.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like numeralsdesignate the same members throughout the several views, the referencenumeral l6 designates a cylindrical pipe which may be of considerablelength and which forms a chamber I! designed to permit the passage of arubber covered wire I4 to be vulcanized therein.' Steam under pressureis admitted to the chamber I! through an inlet pipe l6 and is maintainedin the chamber at a pressure corresponding to the temperature necessaryto vulcanize the covering during its passage through the chamber. Thepipe I6 is surrounded by a steam jacket l6 to which steam is admittedthrough an inlet 20, the steam and condensate thereof passingout of thejacket through an outlet 22 to a steam trap (not shown). The steamchamber and jacket are surrounded by a. covering 24 of any suitable heatinsulating material, a sleeve 26 being fitted over one end of thiscovering and held in fixed relation to the steam jacket III by means ofa plurality of set screws 28, of which one is shown in Fig. 1.

A tubular member 36 (Fig. i) is threaded to the end of pipe l0 andsupports a cylinder 3| suspended therefrom by means of a collar 32.Member 30 is recessed at its outer end to permit sealing disks,indicated generally at 33, to seat therein. A clamping member 34 isthreaded to member 30 and is shaped to clamp the outer edges of thedisks in the recess of member 36 in such a manner as to cause them toact as gaskets to prevent the escape of steam from the chamber 12. Aknurled member 35, of fiber or other suitable heat insulatingcompositlon, is mounted exteriorly of member 34 and is fixed thereto bymeans of a set screw 33, so as to permit member 34 to be rotated by handfor the purpose of adjusting it. The interior of member 34 is providedwith a cylindrical bore in which a hollow retaining member 36 isslidably mounted, its inner end engaging sealing disk 66 to restrain thedisks against outward movement due to the pressure of the steam inchamber l2 against their inner surfaces, the retaining member being sodisposed as to engage the disk 60 intermediate of the aperture 66 andthe periphery of the disk, as seen in Fig. 4.

The retaining member 36 is yieldingly urged against the disks by a bellcrank lever 31 which is carried by a bracket 4| formed integral with thecylinder 3|. Lever 31 has a bifurcated arm 39 which engages the outerend of member 36 at either side of the wire l4. The other arm 40 of thelever engages a piston rod 42 fixed to a piston 43 mounted in thecylinder 3 I, the piston being urged upwardly by means of a compressionspring 44 which surrounds the rod 42, and being adapted to be moveddownwardly by fluid pressure, as described below.

The cylinder 3| is supplied with pressure fluid such as compressed airthrough a duct 45 which,

as shown in Fig. 1, extends along the steam jacket I8 in close proximitythereto over the greater part of the length of the steam jacket, thepurpose of this arrangement being to keep the duct and the steam jacketat substantially the same temperature in order to minimize relativemovement due to temperature changes. The pressure fluid, which may becompressed air, is supplied from a container 41 (Fig. 3), whence itpasses through an adjustable pressure reducing valve 48 of any suitableconstruction, thence through a constricted aperture 58 in duct 45 to thecylinder 3|. At the end of the apparatus which is adjacent to thecontainer 41 is positioned a gauge 5| and a. stop-and-waste cock orthree-way valve 53 having an outlet 54 and adapted, when in the positionshown in Fig. 3, to permit free passage of the air from the container 41to the cylinder 3|, but capable of being rotated in the clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 3 to a position where the flow of air fromcontainer 41 is obstructed and the air in cylinder 3| is allowed toexhaust through outlet 54. Pet-cocks 55 and 51 are likewise provided atopposite ends of the apparatus for the purpose of temporarilycontrolling the pressure in cylinder 3| by permitting the escape of air.

The detailed construction of sealing disks 33 is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and6, from which it will be seen that a disk 88, of spring metal, and twodisks BI and 82, of resilient material, such as rubber, are assembled innested relation. The number of disks may, 01' course, be varied inaccordance with the steam pressures employed, and other factors. Each ofthe disks is provided with radial slits forming a plurality of inwardlyextending tongues 8364, the radial slits being arranged so that no twoof them are in registry with each other, this arrangement preventingescape of steam through the slits. The disks are provided wih centralapertures 65B8 positioned to register with each other when the disks areassembled, the aperture 65 being of slightly larger diameter than thecovered wire to be handled by the apparatus, while the apertures 86 areof slightly smaller diameter than the wire.

The entire seal just described is positioned within a casing 81 whichserves to confine such steam and vapor as may escape through the seal,an exhaust stack 88 being provided to carry away the steam.

-A pulley I8 is positioned within the casing 61- in such relation thatthe'wire emerging from the steam chamber may pass thereover on its wayto a take-up reel (not shown). A drain pipe 15 leads from the bottom ofthe casing 61 and is designed to carry ofi the condensate of the steamin the casing as well as any excess liquid from other sources. I

In the operation of the apparatus thus far described, the coveredwire'is supplied to the steam chamber from a continuous extrusionmachine or other apparatus of known construction, and is threadedthrough the steam chamber and seal, over pulley I8, and passed to thetake-up reel (not shown). Steam at the desired pressure being furnishedto the steam chamber I2 and jacket I8, and tension being applied to thewire, the wire moves through the steam chamber, where it is vulcanized,and thence through the sealing unit 33, which permits its passagewithout permitting the passage of any considerable amounts of steamtherethrough. It being desirable to cause the disks 88 and BI to bearagainst the moving wire as snugly as possible without marring thecovering thereof or causing excessive friction, the operatoradjusts thepressure in cylinder 3| to secure the desired pressure on member 38 byadjusting the pressure reducing valve 48. When the machine is beingstarted or when a new length of wire is being threaded into theapparatus, the valve 53 is rotated ninety degrees in the clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 3, thereby reducing the air pressure incylinder 3|, to atmospheric. When the vulcanized rubber covering beginsto pass through the seal, the valve 53 is returned to the position shownin Fig. 3, where upon the air pressure in cylinder 3| gradually buildsup to that desired, a too rapid rise in the pressure being prevented bythe action of aperture 58. The pressure of member 38 upon the seal maybe completely released at any time by turning valve 53 as abovedescribed, or it may be temporarily reduced to any desired extent bypartially or completely opening pet-cock 56 or 51 to bleed the necessaryamount of air from the pressure line.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, a tubular member 88 is threaded tothe end of pipe I8 and has formed thereon oppositely disposed ears 8|supporting oppositely positioned pivot pins 82 carrying eye-bolts 83, ofwhich one is shown in Fig. 2. A clamping member 84 is slidably mountedupon the outer end of member 88 and is provided with slotted lugs 85adapted to receive the eye-bolts 83. Nuts 88 are threadedly mounted onthe outer ends of the eye-bolts, each of the nuts being provided with aslidable cross bar 88 to facilitate the quick adjustment and release ofthe nuts. By this means, the clamping member 84 is arranged to be heldin its operative position, wherein its shoulders 89 clamp the outeredges of the disks 68, 6| against the end of member 88 to prevent theescape of steam from the chamber I2. A pin 81 is seated in member 88 andprojects through indexing holes 92 of the sealing disks to keep them inproper registry, the pin projecting into a corresponding recess inmember 84. The interior of clamping member 84 is.

sure of the steam in chamber I2 against their.

inner surfaces, the retaining member being so disposed as to engage thedisk 68 between the aperture 65 and the periphery of the disk. Themember 98 is provided with an axial passage 9| to permit the coveredwire to pass therethrough, which passage may be forwardly flared asshown in Fig. 1, or cylindrically drilled as shown in Fig. 2.

The bell crank lever 93 shown in Fig. 2 is similar in structure andfunction to the bell crank lever 31 shown in Fig. 1 except that its arm94 is articulated at 95 to enable it to be swung laterally out ofengagement with member 98 to facilitate cleaning the passage 9|. Ann 94is normally held in operative position by a spring pressed detent 98seated in a recess in the arm and adapted to be withdrawn therefrom bymeans of a button 91 fixed to the outer end of the detent.

An eye-bolt 99 is pivoted to bracket 4| and extends downwardly throughan aperture in the lower arm I88 of lever 93. Lock nuts I82, I83 areadjustably fixed to the eye-bolt 99 above and below the arm I88 to limitits movement in either direction.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to anapparatus for vulcanizing rubber covered wire wherein steam is employed,it will be understood that it is capable of numerous other uses withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as deflned in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for handling strand material, a fluid seal adapted topermit the passage of a strand therethrough, means for adiustablycontrolling the seal comprising a conduit for pressure fluid, arestricted aperture in the conduit, and a stop-and-waste cock positionedin the conduit between the restricted aperture and the seal.

2. In apparatus for handling strand material, a pressure fluidcontainer, a seal for the container adapted to permit the passage of astrand therethrough, and means for adJustably controlling the sealcomprising a conduit for pressure fluid, adjustable pressure reducingmeans in the conduit, a restricted aperture in the conduit, and valvemeans selectively operable to permit and to prevent passage of pressurefluid from the pressure reducing means.

3. In combination, a fluid pressure container having an opening in thewall thereof and a fluid seal comprising a resilient member, means tosecure said member in position to close said opening, said member beingapertured to permit passage of a strand therethrough, a movableretaining member associated with the resilient member and beingsupported to move in one direction to exert pressure on said resilientmember, fluid pressure means to move said retaining member in saiddirection and means for supplying fluid pressure independent of thefluid pressure in said container to said fluid pressure means.

4. In combination, a fluid pressure container having an opening in thewall thereof and a fluid seal comprising a resilient member, means tosecure said member in position to close said opening, said member beingapertured to permit passage of a strand therethrough, a movableretaining member associated with the resilient member and beingsupported to move in one direction to exert pressure on said resilientmember, fluid pressure means to move said retaining member in saiddirection, means for supplying fluid pressure independent of the fluidpressure in said conto exert pressure on tainer to said fluid pressuremeans, and means positioned remote from said fluid pressure meansmanually operable for controlling the fluid pressure supplied to saidfluid pressure means.

5. In combination, a fluid pressure container having an opening in thewall thereof and a fluid seal comprising a resilient member, means tosecure said member in pos'tion to close said opening, said member beingapertured to permit passage of a strand therethrough, a movableretaining member associated with the resilient member and beingsupported to move in one direction said resilient member, a piston,means operably connecting the piston and retaining member to move saidretaining member in said direction and means Ior supplying fluidpressure independent of the fluid pressure in said container to thepiston.

6. In combination, a fluid pressure container having an opening in thewall thereof and a fluid seal comprising a resilient member, means tosecure said member in position to close said opening, said member beingapertured to permit passage of a strand therethrough, a movableretaining member associated with the resilient member and beingsupported to move in one direction to exert pressure on said resilientmember, a piston, means operably connecting the piston and retainingmember to move said retaining member in said direction, means forsupplying fluid pressure independent of the fluid pressure in saidcontainer to said piston, and means positioned remote from the pistonmanually operable for controlling the fluid pressure supplied to thepiston.

7. In an apparatus for treating vulcanizable material applied to astrand, a chamber for subjecting said material to a vulcanizing fluidunder pressure, and a seal for said chamber comprising resilient meansfor engaging said material on a strand, a movable retaining memberassociated with said resilient means, and means operable by fluidpressure independently of the pressure of the vulcanizing fluid in saidchamber for moving said retaining member against said resilient member.

GEORGE LAFAYETTE CHERRY. LESLIE FAWCETT LAMPLOUGH.

